Newcastle 2 - Tottenham 2: Shola Ameobi steals in to wreck Defoe show

Rafael Van der Vaart celebrates after giving Spurs the lead from the spot

Newcastle continue to defy expectations after securing point against Spurs

Try telling that to Harry ­Redknapp and his team, who thought they were on their way to a fifth successive league win when Jermain Defoe came off the bench to fire them into a 68th-minute lead.

Harry knew what he was doing when he snubbed the Toon job three years ago with the club on the ­decline, but he will vouch for the renaissance under Alan Pardew.

If Defoe believed the super-sub headlines belonged to him, he ­reckoned without Shola Ameobi being thrown on to ­rescue a point for a Newcastle side still ­unbeaten after 10 league and Cup games.

A match that had started like a game of chess ended in a frenzied finale with both sides having chances to win it at the death.

And while Spurs showed the hallmarks of a side ­destined to challenge for a top four finish, don’t rule out this gutsy Newcastle side ­defying expectations.

Their squad may lack the depth to hang on to the coat-tails of the big boys but their resolution is mighty and ­their passion overflowing. ­Together, they provide a ­potent mix.

Ameobi has not always been ­flavour of the month with the Toon Army and the recent form of ­Demba Ba and Leon Best seemed to have condemned this loyal servant to a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

But the striker produced a fine finish four minutes from time to consolidate the Toon’s position in the top four.

From Ryan Taylor’s pass, he let fly with a fierce left-foot shot from the edge of the box which flew across Brad Friedel into the net.

Defoe’s goal was equally classy. The 29-year-old will find it hard enough to bear that Fabio Capello no longer sees him as an England regular, but these days he’s not an automatic choice at Spurs either.

He’s lost none of his capacity for sniffing goals though and less than five minutes after coming off the bench, he underlined the threat that could yet still serve both club and country well.

Only a perfectly-timed challenge from the advancing Tim Krul ­prevented Defoe from latching on to Scott Parker’s weighted pass ­moments after he had replaced ­Rafael van der Vaart.

But he took advantage of slack marking by Ryan Taylor after 68 minutes to control another Parker pass before beating Krul with a shot into the bottom corner.

Past Newcastle teams might have buckled at this stage ­– but not this one. Roared on by the 46,420 crowd, they surged forward and Cheik ­Tiote produced a piledriver which Friedel tipped over the bar.

Ryan Taylor too brought the best out of the veteran keeper with a curling free-kick before Ameobi proved he still has much to offer.

The closing minutes were breathtaking with both teams hell-bent on winning the game.

Defoe was foiled by Krul and Fabricio Coloccini showed the ­instinct of a forward to turn inside the box but his shot was just wide.

Spurs had taken the lead when Van der Vaart scored from the spot following a Steven Taylor foul on Emmanuel Adebayor.

Newcastle were fired up for the second half and quickly levelled when Ba scored his fifth goal in three games.

The former West Ham hitman wears 19 on his back but if he ­carries on at this rate, that feted No.9 – currently in cold storage – could be his next season.

Both Coloccini and Steven ­Taylor have been rocks at the heart of the Toon defence this term but a ­moment of rashness from the ­latter after 40 minutes proved costly.

Yohan Cabaye lost possession deep inside Toon territory. The ball ran to Adebayor and Steven Taylor went across him, catching the back of the striker’s leg.

Referee Lee ­Probert took an age before pointing to the spot but ­despite home protests, replays confirmed it was a penalty. Ledley King’s 300th start for Spurs was not an occasion he will wish to remember.

Stringing together five successive league games for the first time in over three years, the centre-half limped off after 30 minutes.

He was replaced by Sebastien Bassong, who arrived to a chorus of boos having quit Newcastle in the wake of relegation two-and-a-half years ago.

And Bassong was one of those caught out by Jonas Gutierrez as he surged down the inside left channel three minutes after the ­restart to set up Ba.

The Argentinian has not always offered an end product to match his work-rate and dribbling ability.

But this time his cross was ­perfect for Ba to score at the far post with Friedel arriving too late.

Toon owner Mike Ashley has set Newcastle the target of a top 10 ­finish. Suddenly that seems a ­conservative aim.